5 of your best

[Hully]

Ok - I know its a curly question - but just say you were about to write a feature article on (and lets be careful with the wording) YOUR five best contemporary bush poets (as opposed to THE five best...) - who is in your list?...and why?

A single sentence to support your claim is preferred.
Performance, written, technical all hold the same weighting...no buts, just the best.
Yes, you can include yourself.
You can make a longer list if you want to - it might support someone else's claim.....

you can reply in person if you want to remain anonymous.

look forward to your thoughts.

h

[Duncan Williams]

G'day Hully. Ive written poems about a few bush poets over the time. i served my apprenticeship with (first lady) Gertrude Skinner as a young teenager more than twenty five years ago. met most of the bush poets from Keith Garvey right through to Gregory North. Always enjoyed and loved the poems of Henry Lawson, Banjo Paterson. but there are other poems i enjoy reading from many of our bush poets today.


Duncan.

[Bob Pacey]

Bobby Miller

[Neville Briggs]

Why do you want to know ?

[Hully]

....ummm...there is a hint in the "just say you were about to write a feature article" line...

Great to get some feedback - all additions greatly appreciated....



h

[keats]

So are you talking Performing Poets or just writers who don't perform? Big difference.

Neil

[Hully]

ok - initial brief is "top 5 Aussie bush poets alive and performing"....

but....

its not fair, or indeed possible, to name a 'top 5' in any field of artistic endeavour, arguably ANY endeavour....so the latest iteration is 'my' top 5, which I am happy to submit regardless, - but I thought I would call on you all as a brains trust for some input...

the brief, without word-counts, images specs etc, is no greater than that - so an example might be.

1. Joe blogs - for an ongoing commitment to originality and quality, combining published written material with an enviable performance schedule
2. Jo Blogs - who cannot be omitted from any top 5 list purely by virtue of her contribution to performance poetry and the dedication to excellence in the preservation of 'spoken word' as a legitimate and important form in Australian bush/folk culture.
3. Jeff Blogs - purely for the sake of the single line "blah blah blah" which is supremely important in the understanding of bush poetry and its current and ongoing relevance....

etc...

so you see - not 'THE' top five - but 'A' top 5 for whatever reason you might think is important...

- I know its curly.... but what are honest thoughts?...

h

[Vic Jefferies]

Hully you have made a very difficult request, as witnessed by the lack of replies.
If I were to name my five favourite contemporary poets I know that I would offend some of the many others that I did not name and some of whom are dear friends.

However, I am prepared to nominate Bruce Simpson and Colleen McLaughlin as two of my favourite writers and Milton Taylor and Noel Stallard as two of my favourite reciters...I hasten to add I have many more, but for the sake of friendships I will leave it at that.

[Hully]

Thanks for your bravery Vic !!

I appreciate the input.


h

[Neville Briggs]

I'll put up some names, there are others but I'll just have to keep it short and restricted to performance only. It's very subjective because these relate to my idea of poetry reading which may differ a lot from the general consensus of poetry performance.


1. Heather Knight. Only seen Heather do one poem on one occasion. but I thought her delivery and style was just right for expression of poetry.

2. Ken Tough. Looks to me a very skilful speaker who draws out intense emotion from the poetry.

3. Neil Jones. He looks to me to have exactly the right ironic style and laid back humour of an authentic rustic troubadour.

4. Jacqui Warnock. To my mind, she gives me the impression of clear and energetic speaker, with good timing and good understanding of poetic expression.

5. Terry Regan He seems to me to be a modest and well controlled performer who draws attention to the verse and not to himself.

6. Sue Pearce. I've only seen Sue do one piece on one occasion but I was impressed by her ability to project the emotion and images of the reflective poem.